1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge can be detachably attached. Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g. an LED printer, a laser beam printer, or the like), an electrophotographic facsimile device, a word processor, and the like.
For the process cartridge, a charging means, a developing means, a cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive body are formed integrally into a cartridge. The cartridge is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus. Alternatively, at least one of the charged means and the developing means, the cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are formed integrally into a cartridge to be detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, at least the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are formed integrally into a cartridge to be detachably attached to the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In a conventional image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are formed integrally into a cartridge. The cartridge is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus. In this process cartridge system, since a user can maintain the device without depending on a serviceman, operability can be remarkably enhanced. Therefore, the process cartridge system is widely used in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Thus, improvement of the assembling characteristic of the process cartridge is desired.